Wedding painter Jillian Gunlicks sits on a stool positioned to the side of the path among tables that will become the aisle the bride soon will walk down on a recent Saturday at the Izaak Walton League hall on the western edge of Sioux Falls.

Gunlicks, who has been at her station for several hours, swishes her brush in water, dabs a pool of white acrylic paint and deftly adds to the painting of a circle of white, depicting twinkle lights draped over the fireplace.

Wedding guests sneak curious peeks at the easel as they make their way to their seats.

When the bride and groom take their vows, Gunlicks will sketch in their forms, and she'll finish the piece several days later, adding more people and details.

A week later, the bride and groom, Katie Knutson and Jerad Erdahl, will have a lifetime keepsake of the moment their lives became permanently intertwined.

Gunlicks is much like a photographer — she captures a snippet of time during a wedding or reception that results in a wedding souvenir. But her product is suffused with artistic romance and destined to be displayed in the family home.

"It's not a random place or landscape; it's a moment to remember, the moment they commit to each other," says Gunlicks, 32.

This is Gunlicks' second wedding painting, and she hopes it is the start of a growing niche business. Being on display doesn't make her nervous; she teaches art classes at Creative Spirits downtown. "I'm used to people watching me create," she says.

It's also a way for Gunlicks to introduce people to art. "It's bringing art to people and getting them to see the step-by-step process."

Knutson, 30, has known Gunlicks for years. "I asked her to do my makeup for the wedding, and she brought it up — what if I do a painting for you?"

The idea took root, and now Knutson is eager to see the final product. "I can check on the progress during the evening," she says. Plus, the painter is entertainment. "It will be fun to have the guests watching her do it."

The final product will be special. "You've got a great memory to hang on your wall for the rest of your life," Knutson says.

Bridesmaid Emily Benton from Sioux Falls is intrigued. Because it's a painting, it's a piece of art, she says. "It's such a personal piece. You can put it anywhere."

"It'll be something to talk about," says Gail Doyle, mother of the bride.